World's busiest airport is a claim that is fiercely fought over by the owners of the world's largest airports. The definition of "busiest" is debated as well, with claims being staked on the basis of aircraft operations, cargo traffic or total passengers.

The following airports have variously made claims (or had claims made for them):

Primary Claims

The following airports make claims based on objective volume measures which are well defined and widely accepted within the aviation industry:

• Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Largest number of passengers annually. (1998–2006) ^[1]

Most arrivals and departures ("operations") annually. (1999–2000, 2005–2007).

Most destinations served. ^{[2] [3]}

• Memphis International Airport, Memphis, Tennessee, United States

Most cargo traffic by volume annually. (1993–2006) ^[4]

• London Heathrow Airport, Hayes, Greater London, United Kingdom

Largest number of international passengers annually (2004) ^{[5] [6]}

FAA diagram of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (IATA: ATL, ICAO: KATL, FAA LID: ATL), known locally as Atlanta Airport, Hartsfield Airport, Hartsfield-Jackson is located seven miles (11 km) south of the central business district of Atlanta, Georgia, United States. ... Atlanta redirects here. ... Memphis International Airport (IATA: MEM, ICAO: KMEM) is a public airport located 3 miles (5 km) south of the city of Memphis in Shelby County, Tennessee, USA. Northwest Airlines operates its third-largest passenger hub in Memphis, with routes to a number of destinations in North America, as well as... For other uses, see Memphis (disambiguation). ... This article is about the U.S. state of Tennessee. ... Heathrow redirects here. ... , For other places with the same name, see Hayes. ... Greater London is the top-level administrative subdivision covering London, England. ...

Other Current Claims

The following airports also make claims based on objective measures, but some of the claims are based on traffic classification:

• Los Angeles International Airport, Los Angeles, California, United States

Most originating or terminating (i.e., non-connecting) passengers.

• Hong Kong International Airport, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China

Busiest airport built on an artificial island. It is also 5th busiest in International Passenger traffic.

• Van Nuys Airport, Los Angeles, California, United States

World's busiest general aviation airport (take-offs and landings annually).

• London Gatwick Airport, Crawley, West Sussex, United Kingdom

World's busiest single runway airport (passengers) [1]

• Frankfurt International Airport, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Most international destinations served.

• Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, Detroit, Michigan, USA

Busiest U.S. transpacific gateway airport by U.S. carrier traffic

LAX and KLAX redirect here. ... Los Angeles and L.A. redirect here. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... Chek Lap Kok Airport Traditional Chinese: Simplified Chinese: Hong Kong International Airport (IATA: HKG, ICAO: VHHH) is the main airport in Hong Kong. ... Before Mexico City, Tenochtitlan was an artificial island of 250,000 (Dr Atl) Dejima, not allowed direct contact with nearby Nagasaki Formoza (Gdynia) The World in Dubai An artificial island is an island that has been formed by human, rather than natural means. ... Van Nuys Airport (IATA: VNY, ICAO: KVNY, FAA LID: VNY) is a public airport located in Van Nuys, California in the San Fernando Valley, within the Los Angeles city limits. ... Los Angeles and L.A. redirect here. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... General aviation (abbr. ... Gatwick Airport (IATA: LGW, ICAO: EGKK) is Londons second largest airport and the second busiest airport in the United Kingdom after Heathrow. ... For other uses, see Crawley (disambiguation). ... West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex (with Brighton and Hove), Hampshire and Surrey. ... Frankfurt Airport Frankfurt Airport (IATA: FRA, ICAO: EDDF), known in German as Rhein-Main-Flughafen or Flughafen Frankfurt am Main, is located near Frankfurt am Main, Germany. ... Frankfurt am Main [ˈfraŋkfʊrt] is the largest city in the German state of Hessen and the fifth largest city of Germany. ... Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (IATA: DTW, ICAO: KDTW), sometimes called Detroit Metropolitan Airport, Detroit Metro Wayne Airport, Metro Airport, or simply DTW, is a major airport in Romulus, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. ... Detroit redirects here. ...

Historical Claims

• Chicago Midway International Airport, Chicago, Illinois, United States

Held from 1932 until O'Hare took the title in 1962, Midway was the world's busiest airport by passenger and aircraft movements. Before World War II, Chicago Midway was the origin or destination of one in four U.S. airline flights. [2]

• Chicago O'Hare International Airport, Chicago, Illinois, United States

Largest number of passengers annually (before 1998)

Most arrivals and departures annually (before 1998, 2001–2004).

• Tokyo International Airport, Tokyo, Japan (popularly known as Haneda Airport)

The world's busiest domestic-only airport until service to Seoul started. However, it is often overshadowed by Narita International Airport, which serves international passengers flying into Tokyo. Busiest airport in Japan and Asia.

• Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, Shanghai, People's Republic of China

The worlds busiest domestic-only airport until service began to Tokyo in October 2007. It only handles 19.3 million passengers, but only defeated Chicago Midway International Airport by around 0.5 million passengers. The international passenger services are served by Shanghai Pudong International Airport, which handles around 60% of the traffic within Shanghai. It is 15th busiest in Asia and 62nd busiest in the World.

The Greater-Chicago Area featuring Chicago-Midway and OHare International Airports Chicago Midway International Airport (IATA: MDW, ICAO: KMDW, FAA LID: MDW), also known simply as Midway Airport, is an airport in Chicago, Illinois, United States, located on the citys southwest side, eight miles from Chicagos Loop. ... Flag Seal Nickname: The Windy City Motto: Urbs In Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location Location in Chicagoland and northern Illinois Coordinates , Government Country State Counties United States Illinois Cook, DuPage Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 606. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Largest metro area Chicago Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (140,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ... Year 1932 (MCMXXXII) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1932 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... OHare International Airport (IATA: ORD, ICAO: KORD, FAA LID: ORD) is an airport located in Chicago, Illinois, United States, 17 miles (27 km) northwest of the Chicago Loop. ... Nickname: Motto: Urbs in Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location in the Chicago metro area and Illinois Coordinates: , Country State Counties Cook, DuPage Settled 1770s Incorporated March 4, 1837 Government  - Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Area  - City 234. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Largest metro area Chicago Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (140,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ... Tokyo International Airport ) (IATA: HND, ICAO: RJTT), located in ÅŒta, Tokyo, Japan, is one of the two primary airports serving the Greater Tokyo Area. ... For other uses, see Tokyo (disambiguation). ... Short name Statistics Location map Map of location of Seoul. ... Narita International Airport ) (IATA: NRT, ICAO: RJAA) is an international airport located in Narita, Chiba, Japan, in the eastern portion of the Greater Tokyo Area. ... For other uses, see Asia (disambiguation). ... Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (IATA: SHA, ICAO: ZSSS) (Simplified Chinese: 上海虹桥国际机场, Traditional Chinese: 上海虹橋國際機場, Pinyin: ShànghÇŽi Hóngqiáo Guójì JÄ«cháng, Translation: Rainbow Bridge International Airport) is one of the two airports in Shanghai, Peoples Republic of China. ... For other uses, see Shanghai (disambiguation). ... The Greater-Chicago Area featuring Chicago-Midway and OHare International Airports Chicago Midway International Airport (IATA: MDW, ICAO: KMDW, FAA LID: MDW), also known simply as Midway Airport, is an airport in Chicago, Illinois, United States, located on the citys southwest side, eight miles from Chicagos Loop. ... Shanghai Pudong International Airport (IATA: PVG, ICAO: ZSPD) (SSE: 600009) (Simplified Chinese上海浦东国际机场, Traditional Chinese 上海浦東國際機場, pinyin ShànghÇŽi PÇ”dōng Guójì JÄ«cháng) is an airport located in the eastern part of Pudong district of Shanghai, China. ... For other uses, see Asia (disambiguation). ...

See also

• World's busiest airports by traffic movements
• World's busiest airports by passenger traffic
• World's busiest airports by international passenger traffic
• World's busiest airports by cargo traffic
• World's largest airlines

The thirty worlds busiest airports by traffic movements are measured by total movements (data provided by Airports Council International). ... The thirty worlds busiest airports by passenger traffic are measured by number of total passengers (data provided by Airports Council International). ... The following is a list of the worlds busiest airports by international passenger traffic. ... The thirty worlds busiest airports by cargo traffic for various periods (data provided by Airports Council International). ... An American Airlines Boeing 777-200ER landing at London Heathrow Airport. ...

References

1. ^ http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?ContentBlockID=7dc5a99c-a97a-4fa9-9f49-6f3d678adad5
2. ^ http://www.cnn.com/2007/TRAVEL/01/04/hartsfield.airport.ap/index.html
3. ^ http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2007-01-04-nations-busiest-airport_x.htm
4. ^ http://www.aircargonews.net/article.asp?art_id=1735
5. ^ http://www.heathrowairport.com/assets/B2CPortal/Static%20Files/TopAirports04.pdf
6. ^ http://www.heathrowairport.com/portal/site/default/menuitem.cd3561d9b59d462588a5e186c02865a0/;jsessionid=DNAfOXj7g3r3fk1j9NlWANpydf0hhlQvi8LcmzuRluuyU0u2FTlo!-949195938

External links

• Airports Council International website. A representative industry body for the airport industry that provides air travel statistics.